Focusing device.



J. T. CLARKE'. POGUSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 8, 1912.

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Patented Mar. 3, `1914.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

JOSEPH TEACHER CLARKE, 0F HAB/ROW, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 EASTMAN KODAKy COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

FOCUSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed October 8, 1912. Serial No. 724,593.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH 'IHAGHER CLARKE, of Harrow, England, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Focusing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention. relates to photography more. particularly to photographic cameras, and it has for its object to provide a folding camera of the quick focusing type which will also provide means of a simple andconvenient nature whereby the focus may be altered within certain limits. In

other words, the invention contemplates al camera in which the front is automatically or quickly projected to a predetermined extent that will produce the approximate focal length and may thereafterbe subject to a finer adjustment along the focal axis.

` To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out` in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevat-ion of a folding camera in extended position which camera is constructed in accordance with and illustrates one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary viewA corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the positions of the parts after an adjustment has been made by means ofthe focusing devices; Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view through the focusing devices taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is atrans. verse sectional View taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The camera, as to its general features may be of usual construction comprising a body 1, a cover 2 which, when in the extended posit-ion shown in the figures constitutes a bed or bellows supportand a front 3 connected to the body by collapsible bellows 4:. I (prefer to support the front" when extende by means of a pair of inner links 5 pivoted to the body at G, and a pair of outer links 7 pivoted to the inner links at 8 and to the front at 9. The respective pairs of links have intermeshing teeth 10 and 11 so that the front 3 is given a parallel motion toward and from the body as it is projected and retracted and folds to a position within the latter wherein it is retained beneath the cover 2.

Y A spring or motor device 12 connects the links 5 under the influence of which the extension supports have a tendency to normally project the front to an extreme outward position and when the cover 2 is released and the camera unfolded they so exert themselves, thus automatically bringing the front to at .least an approximate position of focus. At this point, however, a finerv adjustment may be obtained and the focus changed within certain limits by the operation of the following devices:

On each side of the bed at the forward point I arrange a vertically disposed bracket plate 13 on which is pivoted at 14 a link 15. This link constitutes a lever, o-ne arm 16 of which is pivot-ed at 17 to the front 3 or, rather, directly to a bracket 18 thereon that also carries the pivots 9 of the link supports 7. The other arm 19 of the link or lever is provided with a set screw or contact piece'20 that coperates with the face of an oscillatory cam 21 fixed to a shaft 22 journaled in and extendingbetween the bracket plates 13. An extension 23 on each cam adjacent to the bracket plate forms a handle or operating member for turning the shaft and cams. When so rotated, the links or levers 15 are rocked and the front 3 is moved toward or from the camera body on the line of the focal axis according to whether the contact point 20 engages a high or a low portion of the cam. Of course, the front lis not actually moved outward in the present embodiment by the lever 15 for the latter rather permits this movement, the actuation being accomplished by the spring 12 which is constantly urging the support 5-7 to extended position and hence the front 3 to an extreme outward position and the front, therefore, holds the member, the front is forced inwardly against the tension of the spring 12 1n a positive manner.

l position with'the` pivot 14- above the pivot 17 instead of the reverse as will be readily understood. When in the vextended position, the link 1 5 forms an additional sup,- pxort for the front on the bed 2 so that vthe ont is not entirely dependent upon .the rigidity of its extension lsupports to give it fixed position. Y n

The purpose ofvproviding the adjustable contact 20 between the link 15,'01" rather itsarm 19, andthecam 21 is to allow of a preliminary adjustment when the camera is set c up in the first instance and-to compensate for any slight irregularityin the assembling of the parts whichwould otherwise bring the minimum adjustment-Minto. inaccuracy` and the other readings of the scalel as well and 1n the samefdegree.` The member 20 may be in the form of la @set screw or threaded plug as shown having aroundcd polnt and having a locking screw 25 driven inuponlt. A'

Ivclaimas my invention-v .x l 1. Ina camera, the combination with a body, a front and extension supports for the, latter causing parallel movement.' of the parts as the front is projected and retracted,

of means tending to actuate the front to one of said positions and a focusing device embodying a member directly connected to the front independently of the extension'supports for operating the latter in the opposite direction against the influence'o'f the actuat'A mg means.

Y the influence of the actuating 2. In a camera, the combination with a body, a front and extension supports for the latter permitting the front to be projected and retracted, of means tendingto actuate the front to one of said positions, abcd adapted to be extended below the front and a focusing device on the bed operatively connected to the front to move 1t against means'.

' 3. In a camera, the combination with a body, -a front and extension supports for the latter causing parallel movement of the parts as the front is projected and retracted, of 'means tending to actuate the front to one of said positions, a bed adapted to be extended below'the front, a lever pivotedn on the bed and having one arm coperatmg with the front and means on the bed acting against the other arm of the lever to move the lfront against the influence of the actuating means.

4. In a camera, the lcombination with a body, al front, extension supports for the latter causin parts as the gromt is projected and retracted, a bed adapted to close the body when the front is retracted to a position therein and to lie extended below the front when the latter is projected, means tending to actuate the front toprojected position, a link pivotally connecting the front and bed and means on the bed arranged to act against the link whereby the front 'is operated against the influence ofthe actuating means.

5. In a camera, the combination with a body, a front adapted to foldwithin the latter, extension supports for the front, and a bed and cover hinged to the body, of a link pivoted to the bed and to the .front and means on the bed for rocking the link to move the front relatively tothe body.

1 6. In a camera, the combination with a body, abed and cover hinged to the body, a front and extension supports lfor the latter causing it to fold beneath the cover and to be projected above the cover when the latter is extended to form a bed, of a link'pivoted to the front and to the bed, a cam'on the bed coperating lwith the link to rock the same and move t e front along the focal axis, and an operating 72 In a camera, the combination with a 'bedl and a front movable relatively thereto,

of means for moving the front along' the focal axis comprising a lever pivoted to the bed and cooperating with the front, an oscillatory cam on the bed enga-gin one arm of the lever and an operating han le for the lever.

8. In a camera, the combination with a bed and a front movable relatively thereto, of means for moving the front along the focal axis comprising a pair of vertical bracket plates, a shaft journaled therein, a cam on the shaft adjacent to each bracket plate, a lever pivoted to each bracket plate having one arm coperating with the front, and the other with the adjacent cam and an operating handle at each end of the shaft for oscillating the latter and the cams.

9. In a camera, the combination with a bed, and a front movable relatively thereto,

of means for moving the front along the focal axis comprising a lever` pivoted to the bed and cooperating with the front, a cam on the -bed engaging one arm of the lever, means for operating the cam and an adjustable contact member between the cam "and saidarm for controlling the throw of the lever. y

10. In a camera, the combination with a body, a front, and extension supports for the latter causing parallel movement of the parallel movement of. the

member for the cam.

parts as the'front is projected and retracted, .of means tending to actuate .thefront to projected position, a bed Iadapted to be extended below the front, a pivoted supporting link connecting the lfront and bed and means acting on the supporting link to move the front along the focal axis against the actuating means.

11. In a camera, the combination with a f body, a front, extension supports for the latter causing parallel movement of the parts.as tbe front is projected and retracted, of a bed adapted to close the body when the front is retracted to a. position therein and to lie in a position below the front whenV the latter is projected and a link connecting the front and bed whereby 'the latter follow the former to folded position. JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE.

Witnesses:-

A F. F, CHURCH,

RUSSELL B, GRIFFITH. 

